Three-year-old boy dies following dog bite
The dog has been seized by police and placed in kennels. Its breed has not yet been established.
A woman has been arrested following the death of a three-year-old boy, who was bitten by a dog at a property in Halstead yesterday (18 August).
Essex Police say the incident occurred in Parker Way at around 5.40pm. The boy was taken to hospital following the bite but sadly died from his injuries.
A 29-year-old woman has been arrested for allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control and the dog has been seized by police and placed in kennels. The breed of the dog has not yet been established.
Neighbour Phyllis Young told BBC News she heard the boy screaming. "I did not really associate it with anything terrible - it was like children having a bit of fun. But then I thought it might not be quite right.
"Then it was quiet. I looked out of the window and saw a police car and paramedics and neighbours looking along the road."
When she went to ask what had happened, she was told "the dog had attacked the little boy and he was in a bad way."
The incident is the second fatal dog attack this week. On Monday 15 August, 52-year-old David Ellam died in hospital after being attacked by a dog in West Yorkshire. Police had recently seized the dog due to concerns it may be a banned breed, but it was returned to its owner just days before the attack.
Section One of the Dangerous Dogs Act, which prohibits four types of dog, has recently come under fierce criticism from animal welfare and behaviour organisations, who say it has done nothing to reduce the number of dog bites. The RSPCA, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home and the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors are among those calling for urgent changes in the law.
NHS figures show dog bites or strikes accounted for 7,227 hospital admissions in England between March 2014 and February 2015 - a rise of 6.5 per cent compared to the previous 12 months.
Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
